Settlers target Palestinian olive pickers

AM - Tuesday, 29 October , 2002 00:00:00

Reporter: Mark Willacy

LINDA MOTTRAM: Israel's National Unity government stands on the verge of disintegration, as the Labour Party maintains its threat to leave, unless money budgeted for Jewish settlements is cut.

The Prime Minister Ariel Sharon insists the cash is needed to protect settlers from violence, highlighted, Israel claims, by a suicide bomb attack a day ago at a West Bank settlement.

But in some parts of the occupied territories, it's settlers who are running a campaign of violence against Palestinian olive pickers.

Our Middle East Correspondent, Mark Willacy reports that already during this year's harvest, one picker has been killed and dozens injured in attacks by settlers.

MARK WILLACY: On a picturesque hillside in the northern West Bank, Palestinian men, women and children harvest this year's olives.

But also picking the crop are Jewish settlers from a nearby outpost.

[Sound of olive picking]

Can you guys say what you're up to?

[Settler shouting]

"Get out of here," the settler yells, as he reaches into his knapsack.

UNIDENTIFIED: Watch out, they are armed!

[Scuffle]

MARK WILLACY: The two young settlers have just tried to pull the microphone clear out of my hands.

We are just standing a few feet from them.

They are obviously harvesting olives here, Palestinian olives, and now they've packed up the black plastic sheet they're using to harvest the olives on and they have fled.

But within minutes the settlers are back. More of them this time and with their guns slung over their shoulders. However, instead of firing bullets, they throw stones at our group, which includes Palestinian pickers and Arik Asherman, a member of the Rabbis for Human Rights.

ARIK ASHERMAN: That is their security unit. They are going to move closer until they can hit us with the stones. We should be thankful they are throwing stones and nothing worse than that.

MARK WILLACY: After ten minutes the stone throwing stops, replaced by a theological debate between Rabbi Asherman and a young, armed settler.

"Is there a law in the bible which says the land of Israel can belong to the Gentiles?" asks the settler.

"Yes", answers the Rabbi, "according to the Bible and the masters of the Bible that is an option".

"How can you not be ashamed of yourself?" replies the young man.

Sheltering among the olive trees are dozens of Palestinians whose families have been harvesting this fruit for generations.

[Palestinian man talking]

"They came and told us to leave", says this man, "go or we'll shoot you they said. Then they started shoving us".

Earlier this month a Palestinian olive picker was shot dead by a settler just east of Jamma'in. Others have been beaten, stoned, had their cars torched and their trees destroyed.

On this day, the Israeli army arrives to put an end to the rock-throwing and intimidation but by this time the settlers have had their fun and a couple of the soldiers even find the situation mildly amusing.

So what can be done to prevent future clashes I ask one soldier?

ISRAELI SOLDIER: We can tell you but then we'd have to kill you.

[Laughter]

Just a joke.

MARK WILLACY: Just a joke. But none of the Palestinians cowering among the olive trees seemed to be laughing.